Context:
Bengaluru-based space startup Bellatrix Aerospace recently unveiled Project 200 on the inaugural day of the Bengaluru Space Expo 2024.
Relevance:
Facts for Prelims
About Project 200:
- Innovative Satellite: Designed to function in an Ultra-Low Earth Orbit (180 km – 250 km).
- Developed by: Bellatrix Aerospace, a Bengaluru-based space technology startup.
- Traditional Satellite Altitudes:
- Satellites have typically been deployed at altitudes above 450 km, primarily to avoid atmospheric interference.
- Challenges at Lower Orbits:
- While a satellite’s performance improves at lower altitudes like 200 km, limitations in propulsion technology have previously prevented satellites from sustaining such orbits.
- Technology Demonstration:
- Project 200 is a mission to demonstrate a new satellite powered by an innovative propulsion system developed by Bellatrix Aerospace.
- This propulsion system allows the satellite to maintain a 200 km orbit for years, as opposed to deorbiting within days.
- Enhanced Capabilities:
- At 200 km, satellites experience significantly lower communication latency (reduced by half) and better image resolution (improved by three times).
- Cost-Effectiveness:
- Satellites operating at this lower altitude also have a lower cost compared to those placed in 450 km orbits.
-Source: The Hindu
